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the new structure is flatter, therefore there is a higher chance of a new team being matched against a higher-TV one. It's not the end of the world when it happens, although it would be a damn shame to lose players because in their first outing they got kerb stomped, before they learned that what goes around comes around and the occasional stomping is part of blood bowl's rich tapestry.

Just looked at the sheet, something's gone wrong for the Championship table - Janek's win is showing as a draw.

Originally Posted by Heliocentric

I would love it if the draw had some kind of selection bias that favoured similar TV. Losing without getting a sniff at victory without even getting nuffled is grim.

I'd rather go back to the old 2-all-down structure than start influencing the draw by TV, but as I mentioned I'm happy with how it is now. When we were doing the re-org I favored the pyramid structure which was even flatter than this. It always hurts losing a game and losing some players, but BB is from the same school of thought as roguelike-likes, your dudes are going to die and they ain't coming back.

Originally Posted by President Weasel

the new structure is flatter, therefore there is a higher chance of a new team being matched against a higher-TV one. It's not the end of the world when it happens, although it would be a damn shame to lose players because in their first outing they got kerb stomped, before they learned that what goes around comes around and the occasional stomping is part of blood bowl's rich tapestry.

A good point, perhaps we should emphasize the challenge league as the starting point for the first few matches.

I was wondering why my next game hadn't occured yet... did the spreadsheet/ingame list change at some point? I could have sworn I was playing someone else. I'm away Monday-Thursday :P

Oops, I hadn't realised I'd also assumed you weren't playing me, despite my previous post. I've posted in the org thread to try to get something sorted.

Losing players is part of the game, yes, and building a team back up from a crippling defeat is part of the fun (by which I mean the Dwarf Fortress kind of fun), but it's a lot easier to recover when you are dumped down into low TV leagues. Maybe that shouldn't be the case though, since in order to get an easy recovery that would warrant you having a few unbalanced games against those lower TV teams, which is no fun for them.

Consider the league as it stands filtered into a flat structure as a representation of the old leagues, though. Tier 1 is the equivalent to the old Div 1/Div A, but with the bottom two slots filled by promotions from Div 2/Div B, the equivalent of being promoted to the top divisions from a 1st or 2nd place in the old rankings. That's not too different, and at that level of game I would assume all teams concerned to be fairly high TV.

Take Tier 2 then. You can equate that to the old Div 2, Div 3, Div B and Div c. So a team promoted to that tier could be making the equivalent jump of the old Div D to Div B, facing off against the relegations from Div A/1. That's quite a difference, and while it's the most extreme scenario it would on average happen four times per season. That's a lot more kerb stomping than you would have encountered before, and we do seem to be seeing some coaches getting disheartened after several crushing defeats in a row. And why wouldn't they? The odd beating keeps things in perspective, but nobody likes being a whipping boy.

Personally I've no intention of leaving. If my Khemri become too much of a chore I'll 'sack the coach' and start a Goblin team. Losing as a Goblin team is just as much fun as winning!

I really don't see the problem with the current structure. There are no really scary teams in the lower divisions (even my chaos team is still not very scary), and people don't seem to be bastards for fouling and killing as they are in other leagues and online. The scariest killer team I've come up against was in the FOL, and was a TV minimised Necro team with piling on wights and ST4 MB wolves.

You get TV500+ differentials in all leagues that I've played in so far, and the very short season structure we have means that lower TV teams have a better chance of climbing the ladder.

I've had 5 deaths in two games. Add in a slew of injuries and there you go. I seem to be having some bad luck when it comes to the dice, and I need a team that doesn't shatter when you get some bad rolls.

Alternatively I could attempt a finesse team that stays away from opponents, but either way, I just was not enjoying the games. I was only going through the motions and not really caring the outcome - and thats no way to spend an hour.

I just noticed in devision K that joose lost 2-1 against xenny? i thought those we suppose to be admin'd draws or wins for the team playing against xenny cause she wasnt able to play this season? or did that change?

I just noticed in devision K that joose lost 2-1 against xenny? i thought those we suppose to be admin'd draws or wins for the team playing against xenny cause she wasnt able to play this season? or did that change?

No, ntw's match was adminned, but I took over from her just for the rest of this season.

I like the new structure primarily because I get to face more different coaches. With the old structure there was a lot less mobility so you would end up rotating between the folks around your level. With the new structure I've had the pleasure of playing more new coaches in 2 seasons than I did in the past 3-4.

Regarding TV I don't think it's too big of an issue for an experienced coach. I think the real issue is having a new coach squaring off against a veteran, and in that scenario TV or inducements aren't the primary deciding factor. Plus learning how to effectively use inducements is a skill and the sooner you get practice the better.

And the thought that bash teams are killer is not true, especially here at RPS. Unless a team is specifically built for it chaos is no more deadly than elves. Especially at low TV chaos is pretty tame. STR != cas, you need skills like MB, claw and PO. Speaking of, I have not faced a single CPOMB player my entire time here. I think the only team I've even seen PO on is norse. I think a lot of the fear of bash teams is quite unjustified.

You will lose players to CAS eventually. I've had some bloody matches vs elves where my armour just wouldn't hold up. It wasn't becuase the elves were killer, it was just dice. I haven't look at every roster in the DoD, but I'm pretty sure none of them are built around killing opposing players.

A violent match was on the cards in Div G today, with the blunt object of Anupshi Rises versus the surgical instrument of Supernumaries. The crowd get the first blows in though, rioting before the game even starts. Once the pitch is clear the Dark Elves continue with the large scale violence, flattening the entire Khemri front line in order to send a lone Witch Elf deep into their defence. As the beating on the line of scrimmage continues a couple of linemen also penetrate, but the ball carrier, hovering well back, is caught off guard by a Blitzing Tomb Guardian who uses his Break Tackle to good effect. The ball comes loose as the carrier fails to hand off, and the Guardian trips and falls harmlessly at his feet. Recovering the ball, the Dark Elves charge it through the shattered Anupshi front line with markers peeling off after lurking defenders. Despite some managing to catch up, the ball carrier saunters on for a mid half touchdown.
The Supernumaries kick short after the teams are reformed, and the ball fails to be recovered by a clumsy Thro-Ra (is there another kind?). A Dark Elf Blitzer snatches the ball away, but is tripped on his escape. This time the Khemri cage the ball before retrieving it, but the half ticks away and ends with Anupshi Rises' new +ST Thro-Ra taking a shattered ankle as compensation for his recent good luck.

The second half starts more skilfully, with the Khemri catching the ball right off and pushing up the left field in a lop-sided cage. As the two teams meet a solid line forms, with curses and moans crossing the no-man's land between. The tension breaks quickly when a Witch Elf is launched off the end of the line and into the crowd, and the 'Dark Elf Air Force' leap en-masse over the Khemri. They can only worry the well defended ball carrier though, who surges forwards into contact with a weakened section of the defensive line. Despite good support, his impetuousness puts him on the wrong end of an Assassin's blade, and the ball ends up among his escort. A confident push by a circling Witch Elf nudges the ball back over to the Supernumaries side of the lines, where it is picked up by a lineman who backpedals deep into friendly territory and away from the ensuing brawl. From the melee a rushing skeleton somehow manages to catch up with him and knock him over. He recovers and quickly passes long to the waiting Witch Elf, well into the Anupshi half. She is quickly supported and while a number of Khemri manage to get back, only one ineffective Tomb Guardian can threaten her. The touchdown looks imminent, but a lightning bolt from the crowd flattens the unfortunate Witch, frying her for the rest of the game. The Dark Elves recover the ball again, but there are now more opponents than friendly around the ball. A brawl ensues on the side-line, with the ball being knocked around as much as the players. It looks as though the only Dark Elf near the ball is about to be sent crowdward to leave the Khemri free to recover it, but when the attacking skeleton manages to only knock himself over the path is opened for a straight pass to a waiting receiver on the touchline, who chalks up a second touchdown for the Supernumaries.
With only seconds left as the teams reform for a quick Anupshi revenge beating before the whistle blows, the Dark Elves catch the Khemri flat-footed and burst into the ill-defended half to catch the ball. Panic ensues among the now-defenders as they scramble to prevent a shock last-second third touchdown. They only manage to get markers to the ball carrier, and a very quick repeat of the last touchdown, to a Dark Elf receiver waiting on the touchline, looks to be on the cards. However, the unlucky thrower fumbles and the whistle blows with the ball sitting at his feet.